Meet a Scientist Monday #8: Brian Sekula

Welcome to Meet a Scientist Monday #8 with Dr. Brian Sekula! Brian is one of those guys who just thinks differently about nutrition and health. If you want an idea of what I mean by “different” just spend a few moments reading this entry on his blog. See what I mean? I like that he thinks differently, because it’s what keeps things from becoming conventional and stale. And that’s the last thing you want in your health care.

MSM is a work in progress. The questions are from readers like you and if you would like to see yours added to my list, please add it to the comment area at the bottom. Also, if you are a scientist/engineer, I would love to have you participate in MSM! Send me an e-mail at : proteinwrangler@gmail.com

I do research on metabolic disorders because I work with people that have diabetes, hypertension and other metabolic disorders (including cancer). We focus on four things: food, sleep, stress and exercise. The objective is to help them get off prescription medication and improve their health. Weight loss is a nice side benefit. Several have lost over 100 pounds. I also have programs that do the same for companies, large and small. It’s been very successful at helping them reduce insurance costs associated with these medications.

How long have you been doing research in this area?

More than 10 years. I used to think it was all about diet and exercise. Over the last few years I’ve discovered that it’s not. Dealing with sleep and stress are more important than exercise. In fact, the importance of sleep is on par with nutrition.

Where are you originally from?

Born and raised in San Antonio. Moved to Houston the year the Rockets won their first NBA title.

What’s your educational background?

Doctorate level education in Physiology.

What do you like best about your job?

Helping people. I never get tired of hearing people tell me their doctor has taken them off their diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol or depression medicine.

The least?

Where should I start? To begin with, conventional wisdom on diet and exercise is bad. It’s also wrong. The way we treat and teach diabetics to deal with their blood sugar, both on their own and when they’re in the hospital.

What would you be doing if you weren’t a scientist?

Probably going crazy. In all seriousness, I’m very technical and analytical. So I’d likely be an exciting accountant or business analyst.

Are your parents scientists? If not, what did they do? .

No, not really. My dad is a salesman for the telecommunications industry. My mom is the not really part. She was a dietitian assistant for many years (a long time ago) at a nursing home and then a hospital for a long time ago.

As a child, did you know you wanted to be a scientist?

No, but for as long as I can remember, I was always interested in how the body worked.

Do you have any advice for keeping kids interested in science? Kids are naturally curious. They like to do fun things and when they learn, it’s even better. So anything that creates fun while learning science does the trick.

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in science?

No one person did. It was my desire to learn more and understand how the body worked.

What are your hobbies?

Outside of work, I like supporting my kids in their activities – volleyball and swimming. I’m kind of tech geek, so computers, phones and gadgets are always cool.

Is there any kind of science you don’t like?

Psychology (does that count?).

Where do you go or what do you do for inspiration?

On a personal level, I’m involved in our church, St Laurence Catholic Church in Sugar Land. Weekly mass and 3-4 volunteer hours per week help. Professionally, success from those I help is all the inspiration I need to keep going.

Who is your favorite scientist? Why?

I tend to like those going against conventional wisdom. In the research field it seems everyone pushes in the same direction. More specifically, in the health science field the dogmatic approach has been to approach weight loss from a caloric balance perspective. In recent years, Gary Taubes has done a great job of turning conventional wisdom on it’s head. While I don’t agree with everything he writes, most of it is spot on. So he’s my current favorite scientist.